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Abstract:

A surface mount device antenna module includes an antenna unit, a
connecting unit and a circuit board. The connecting unit is used to
connect the antenna unit and the circuit board. The antenna unit has a
signal feeder electrically connected with the circuit board which is
under the antenna unit. The antenna module is able to be attached onto
the main board of an electronic device by surface mount technology. The
area of the main board covered by the antenna module can be decreased.
And the dimensions of the main board and the electronic device can be
consequently decreased.

Claims:

1. A surface mount device antenna module, for electrically connecting to
the surface of a main board of an electronic device, the antenna module
comprising: an antenna unit having a base, a radiating metal plate
arranged on the top surface of the base, a grounding metal plate arranged
on the bottom surface of the base and a signal feeder, a tunnel being
formed through the base and the radiating metal plate, a hole being
formed on the grounding metal plate and connecting with the tunnel, the
signal feeder being inserted into the tunnel and the hole and having an
bottom end exposing out of the hole; a connecting unit having a top wall
electrically connecting with the grounding metal plate and a plurality of
side walls vertically extending downward from the edges of the top wall,
an opening being formed on the top wall for passing though the bottom end
of the signal feeder, a plurality of protrusions extending from the side
walls; and a circuit board having a connecting hole portion which has a
first electric contact disposed on the top or bottom surface of the
circuit board, the bottom end of the signal feeder inserted into the
connecting hole portion and electrically connected with the first
electric contact, at least one second electric contact arranged on the
bottom surface of the circuit board and electrically connected to the
main board.

2. The antenna module as claim 1, wherein the base is a rectangular plate
made of ceramic material.

3. The antenna module as claim 2, wherein the signal feeder is of T-shape
and is used for feeding signals.

4. The antenna module as claim 3, wherein the signal feeder has a
semi-sphere shaped top end.

5. The antenna module as claim 1, wherein the connecting unit is made of
metal material.

6. The antenna module as claim 5, wherein the shape of the top wall of
the connecting unit coincides with the bottom surface of the base.

7. The antenna module as claim 6, wherein the protrusions are bendable or
are electrically connected with the circuit board.

8. The antenna module as claim 7, wherein the circuit board has circuits
including a filter and an amplifier.

9. The antenna module as claim 7, wherein the circuit board has circuits
including a filter, an amplifier and a receiving module.

10. The antenna module as claim 9, wherein the receiving module is a GPS
system circuit.

11. The antenna module as claim 7, wherein at least one recess portion is
formed on the side of the circuit board, and the recess portion has a
third electric contact disposed on the bottom surface of the circuit
board.

12. The antenna module as claim 1, wherein the connecting hole portion
has a blind hole or a through hole.

13. A surface mount device antenna module, for electrically connecting to
the surface of a main board of an electronic device, the antenna module
comprising: an antenna unit having a rod portion, a spiral-shaped
radiating metal portion connected to the rod portion, a connecting unit
having a top wall electrically connecting with the grounding metal plate
and a plurality of side walls vertically extending downward from the
edges of the top wall, an opening being formed on the top wall for
passing though the rod portion, a plurality of protrusions extending from
the side walls; and a circuit board having a connecting hole portion
which has a first electric contact disposed on the top or bottom surface
of the circuit board, the rod portion passing through the connecting hole
portion and electrically connected with the first electric contact, at
least one second electric contact arranged on the bottom surface of the
circuit board and electrically connected to the main board.

14. The antenna module as claim 13, wherein the connecting unit is made
of metal material.

15. The antenna module as claim 14, wherein the protrusions are bendable
or are electrically connected with the circuit board, and at least one
recess portion is formed on the side of the circuit board, and the recess
portion has a third electric contact disposed on the bottom surface of
the circuit board.

16. The antenna module as claim 15, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including a filter and an amplifier.

17. The antenna module as claim 15, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including a filter, an amplifier and a receiving module.

18. The antenna module as claim 17, wherein the receiving module is a GPS
system circuit.

19. The antenna module as claim 15, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including two filters and an amplifier.

20. The antenna module as claim 15, wherein he circuit board has circuits
further including a frequency matching switch module.

21. The antenna module as claim 13, wherein the connecting hole portion
has a blind hole or a through hole.

22. The antenna module as claim 21, wherein the antenna unit is a
monopole antenna.

23. A surface mount device antenna module, for electrically connecting to
the surface of a main board of an electronic device, the antenna module
comprising: an antenna unit having a radiating metal plate, the radiating
metal plate having a front surface, a back surface and a space, two
supporting portions connected to the back surface, one of the supporting
portion being a signal feeder, the other supporting portion being for
grounding; a connecting unit having a top wall, a plurality of side walls
vertically extending downward from the edges of the top wall, an opening
being formed on the top wall for passing though one of the supporting
portion, a plurality of protrusions extending from the side walls; and a
circuit board having a connecting hole portion which has a first electric
contact disposed on the top or bottom surface of the circuit board, one
of the supporting portion passing through the connecting hole portion and
electrically connected with the first electric contact, at least one
second electric contact arranged on the bottom surface of the circuit
board and electrically connected to the main board.

24. The antenna module as claim 23, wherein the connecting unit is made
of metal material.

25. The antenna module as claim 24, wherein the shape of the top wall of
the connecting unit coincides with the bottom surface of the base.

26. The antenna module as claim 24, wherein the protrusions are bendable
or are electrically connected with the circuit board, and at least one
recess portion is formed on the side of the circuit board, and the recess
portion has a third electric contact disposed on the bottom surface of
the circuit board.

27. The antenna module as claim 26, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including a filter and an amplifier.

28. The antenna module as claim 26, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including a filter, an amplifier and a receiving module.

29. The antenna module as claim 28, wherein the receiving module is a GPS
system circuit.

30. The antenna module as claim 26, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including two filters and an amplifier.

31. The antenna module as claim 26, wherein he circuit board has circuits
further including a frequency matching switch module.

32. The antenna module as claim 23, wherein the connecting hole portion
has a blind hole or a through hole.

33. The antenna module as claim 32, wherein the supporting portion for
grounding is electrically connected to the connecting unit or passes
through the connecting unit and electrically connects to the circuit
board.

34. A surface mount device antenna module, for electrically connecting to
the surface of a main board of an electronic device, the antenna module
comprising: an antenna unit having a transceiver and a substrate, the
transceiver having a radiating pattern, the substrate having a
micro-stripe line and a grounding line, the transceiver being fixed on
the substrate, the radiating pattern being electrically connected to the
micro-stripe line and the grounding line; a connecting unit having a top
wall, a plurality of side walls vertically extending downward from the
edges of the top wall, an opening being formed on the top wall for
passing though one of the supporting portion, a plurality of protrusions
extending from the side walls; and a circuit board being perpendicular to
the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate.

35. The antenna module as claim 34, wherein the transceiver is made of
ceramic material.

36. The antenna module as claim 35, wherein the radiating pattern has
various kinds of shapes.

37. The antenna module as claim 36, wherein the connecting unit is made
of metal material.

38. The antenna module as claim 37, wherein the protrusions are bendable
or are electrically connected with the circuit board, and at least one
recess portion is formed on the side of the circuit board, and the recess
portion has a third electric contact disposed on the bottom surface of
the circuit board.

39. The antenna module as claim 38, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including a filter and an amplifier.

40. The antenna module as claim 38, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including a filter, an amplifier and a receiving module.

41. The antenna module as claim 40, wherein the receiving module is a GPS
system circuit.

42. The antenna module as claim 38, wherein the circuit board has
circuits including two filters and an amplifier.

43. The antenna module as claim 38, wherein he circuit board has circuits
further including a frequency matching switch module.

44. The antenna module as claim 34, wherein the connecting hole portion
has a blind hole or a through hole.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an antenna, in particularly to a
surface mount device antenna module.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Most of communication signals are transmitted through cables or
atmosphere. When they are transmitted through atmosphere, antennas are
needed to transmit and receive the communication signals.

[0005] In principle, antennas have similar ways to operate. Emitter
antenna has a conductor generating electromagnetic wave from alternative
electrical current. Such a generating process is like the wavelets on the
water surface when dropping a pebble into the water. The propagating
direction of the electromagnetic wave is omnidirectional. At a distance,
another conductor of receiver antenna generates small amount of
electrical current from received electromagnetic wave. Then, an amplifier
can be used to magnify the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave for
further usage.

[0006] FIGS. 1A & 1B show an available antenna module in the market for
using on the electronic communication devices. The antenna module
includes an antenna unit 1A, a connecting unit 2A, a cover 3A and a
circuit board 4A. The antenna unit 1A connects with the cover 3A and the
circuit board 4A through the connecting unit 2A, and a signal feeding
connector 11A of the antenna unit 1A electrically connects with the
circuit board 4A. The cover 3A and the circuit board 4A are perpendicular
to the antenna unit 1A. The circuit board 4A of the antenna module is
electrically connected to the main board 51A of the electronic
communication devices 5A. The antenna unit 1A is arranged in the recess
of the main board 51A.

[0007] Since the antenna unit 1A of the antenna module is vertically and
electrically connected to the cover 3A and the circuit board 4A, the
overall length of the antenna module is longer and its dimensions are
larger. Since the antenna module is electrically connected to the main
board 51A, a significant area of the main board 51A is covered by the
antenna module. Thus, for arranging more electronic parts, the overall
dimensions of the main board 51A need to be increased. However, as the
dimensions of the main board 51 are increased, the dimensions of the
electronic communication devices 5A are consequently increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a antenna
module having reduced length and dimensions, which can be electrically
connected to the main boards of the electronic communication devices.
Thus the dimensions of the main board can be decreased, and the
dimensions of the main board and the electronic communication devices can
both be decreased.

[0009] For achieving the above-mentioned objective, the present invention
provides a surface mount device antenna module for electrically
connecting to the surface of a main board of an electronic device. The
antenna module includes an antenna unit, a connecting unit and a circuit
board. The antenna unit has a base, a radiating metal plate arranged on
the top surface of the base, a grounding metal plate arranged on the
bottom surface of the base and a signal feeder. A tunnel is formed
through the base and the radiating metal plate. A hole is formed on the
grounding metal plate and connects with the tunnel. The signal feeder is
inserted into the tunnel and the hole. The signal feeder has a bottom end
exposing out of the hole. The connecting unit has a top wall electrically
connecting with the grounding metal plate and a plurality of side walls
vertically extending downward from the edges of the top wall. An opening
is formed on the top wall for passing though the bottom end of the signal
feeder. The protrusions extend from the side walls. The circuit board has
a connecting hole portion which has a first electric contact disposed on
the top or bottom surface of the circuit board. The bottom end of the
signal feeder is inserted into the connecting hole portion and
electrically connects with the first electric contact. At least one
second electric contact is arranged on the bottom surface of the circuit
board.

[0023]FIG. 12 is a schematic view of another surface mount device antenna
module;

[0024]FIG. 13 is a sectional view of another surface mount device antenna
module;

[0025]FIG. 14A is a block diagram of another circuit board in this
invention;

[0026]FIG. 14B is a block diagram of another circuit board in this
invention; and

[0027]FIG. 14C is a block diagram of another circuit board in this
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The technical characteristics and contents of the present invention
will become apparent with the following detailed description accompanied
with related drawings.

[0029] FIGS. 2 to 4 show a antenna module according to an embodiment of
the present invention. The antenna module includes an antenna unit 1, a
connecting unit 2 and a circuit board 3.

[0030] The antenna unit 1 has a base 11, a radiating metal plate 12
arranged on the top surface of the base 11, a grounding metal plate 13
arranged on the bottom surface of the base 11 and a signal feeder 15. The
base 11 is a rectangular shaped plate made of ceramic material. A tunnel
14 is formed through the base 11 and the radiating metal plate 12. A hole
131 is formed on the grounding metal plate 13 and connects with the
tunnel 14. The signal feeder 15 is of T-shape and is used for feeding
signals. The signal feeder 15 is inserted into the tunnel 14 and the hole
131 and has an bottom end exposing out of the hole 131. The signal feeder
15 has a semi-sphere shaped top end. The radiating metal plate 12 is
electrically connected with the signal feeder 15 so as to act as a signal
receiving and emitting end. The bottom end 152 of the signal feeder 15 is
not electrically contacted with the grounding metal plate 13, but is
electrically contacted with the circuit board 3. So the signals received
by the antenna unit 1 can be transmitted to the circuit board 3.

[0031] The connecting unit 2 is made of metal material and has a top wall
21 electrically connecting with the grounding metal plate 13, a plurality
of side walls 23 vertically extending downward from the edges of the top
wall 21 and a plurality of protrusions 24 extending from the side walls
23. The shape of the top wall 21 of the connecting unit 2 coincides with
the bottom surface of the base 11. An opening 22 is formed on the top
wall 21 for passing though the bottom end 152 of the signal feeder 15, so
that the bottom end 152 can electrically connect with the circuit board
3. The protrusions 24 are bendable or are electrically connected with the
circuit board 3.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the circuit board 3 has circuits
including a filter 31 and an amplifier 32. The filter 31 is used for
filtering out the noise from signals. Then, the signals are sent to the
amplifier 32 and transmitted into the main board of the electronic
device. A receiving module 33 (such as a GPS system circuit) can be
arranged on the circuit board 3. After filtered out by the filter 31 and
sent to the amplifier 32 for amplifying, the signals are sent to the
receiving module 33 for further processing and sent to the main board of
the electronic device for displaying.

[0033] The circuit board 3 also has a connecting hole portion 34 which has
a first electric contact 35 disposed on the top or bottom surface of the
circuit board 3. The bottom end 152 of the signal feeder 15 passes
through the connecting hole portion 34 and electrically connected with
the first electric contact 35. At least one second electric contact 37 is
arranged on the bottom surface of the circuit board 3 for electrically
connecting with the main board of the electronic device 3. In addition,
at least one recess portion 36 is formed on the side of the circuit board
3. The recess portion 36 has a third electric contact 37 disposed on the
bottom surface of the circuit board 3. The protrusions 24 are
correspondingly inserted into the recess portions 36 and electrically
connected with the third electric contacts 37. The connecting hole
portion 34 has a blind hole or a through hole.

[0034] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a side view of the antenna module
connected with a main board of the electronic device. The connecting unit
2 is connected with the antenna unit 1 and the protrusions 24 on the side
walls 23 are correspondingly inserted into the recess 36 of the circuit
board 3 and electrically connected with the third electric contacts 37.
The bottom end 152 of the signal feeder 15 of the antenna unit 1 passes
through the opening 22 and is electrically connected with the first
electric contact 35 of the connecting hole portion 34 of the circuit
board 3.

[0035] The assembled antenna module is attached and electrically connected
to the main board 41 of the electronic device 4 through the second
electric contacts 38 on the bottom surface of the circuit board 3. With
such a design on the antenna module, the dimensions and the length of the
antenna module can be decreased. And the area of the main board covered
by the antenna module can be decreased. Thus, the overall dimensions of
the main board can be decreased. And the dimensions of the electronic
device 4 can be consequently decreased.

[0036] As FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show, another surface mount device antenna
module is disclosed. The antenna unit 5 is spiral-shaped helix monopole,
which has a spiral-shaped rod portion 51. The rod portion 51 is a signal
feeder of the first antenna unit 5 and has a spiral-shaped radiating
metal portion 52. The rod portion 51 passes through the opening 22 and
the connecting hole portion 34 of the circuit board 3 and electrically
connects with the first electric contact 35.

[0037] After the radiating metal portion 52 of the antenna unit 5 receives
signals, the signals will be transmitted through the rod portion 51 and
to the circuit board 3. After processed by the circuit board 3, the
signals will be transmitted to the main board 41 of the electronic device
4.

[0038] As FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 show, another antenna module is disclosed.
The antenna unit 6 is an inverted-F antenna having PIFA structure. The
antenna unit 6 has a radiating metal plate 61. The radiating metal plate
61 has a front surface 611 and a back surface 612 and a space 62. Two
supporting portions 63, 63' are connected to the back surface 612. One of
the supporting portion 63 is a signal feeder, which passes through the
opening 22 of the connecting unit 2 and the connecting hole portion 34 of
the circuit board 3 and electrically connects with the first electric
contact 35. The other supporting portion 63' is for grounding. It can be
electrically connected with the connecting unit 2. Alternatively, it can
pass through the connecting unit 2 and electrically connects with the
circuit board 3.

[0039] After the radiating metal plate 61 of the antenna unit 6 receives
signals, the signals can be transmitted to the circuit board 3. Then,
after processing by the circuit board 3, the signals can be transmitted
to the main board 41 of the electronic device 4.

[0040] As FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 show, another surface mount device antenna
module is disclosed. The antenna unit 7 is an attachable multiple band
antenna. The antenna unit 7 has a transceiver 71 and a substrate 72. The
transceiver 71 is made of ceramic material and can have various kinds of
radiating pattern 711. The substrate 72 has a micro-stripe line 721 and a
grounding line 722. The transceiver 71 is fixed on the substrate 72. The
radiating pattern 71 is electrically connected with the micro-stripe line
721 and the grounding line 722. After the substrate 72 is combined with
the transceiver 71, the substrate 72 is perpendicular to the circuit
board 3 and electrically connects with the circuit board 3.

[0041] After the radiating pattern 711 of the transceiver 71 receives
signals, the signals will be transmitted through the micro-stripe line
721 of the substrate 72 and to the circuit board 3. After processed by
the circuit board 3, the signals will be transmitted to the main board 41
of the electronic device 4.

[0042] As FIG. 14A shows, another circuit diagram is disclosed. The
difference between the circuits in FIG. 5A and this circuits is that
after the signals received by the antenna module, the spiral-shaped helix
monopole 5, the inverted F antenna 6 and the multiple band antenna 7, the
signals will be amplified by the amplifier 32. Noise in the signals will
be filtered out by the filter 32. Then the signal will be transmitted to
the main board of the electronic device.

[0043] As FIG. 14B shows, another circuit diagram is disclosed. The
difference between the circuits in FIG. 5A and this circuits is that
another filter 31' is further electrically connected to the amplifier 32.
After the signals received by the antenna module, the spiral-shaped helix
monopole 5, the inverted F antenna 6 and the multiple band antenna 7, the
noise in the signals will be filtered out by the filter 31'. Then the
signals will be amplified by the amplifier 32. Noise in the signals will
be filtered out by the other filter 32. Then the signal without any noise
will be transmitted to the main board of the electronic device.

[0044] As FIG. 14C shows, another circuit diagram is disclosed. The
circuit board 3 further has a frequency matching switch module 39 for
antenna. After the signals received by the antenna module, the
spiral-shaped helix monopole 5, the inverted F antenna 6 and the
attachable multiple band antenna 7, the signals will be processed by the
frequency matching switch module 39 and then transmitted to the
electronic device.

[0045] While the invention has been described by means of specific
embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto
by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit
of the invention set forth in the claims.